short balls: it never really ends

Erwin’s proved over the last few days that the tennis news never really ends. If you haven’t been to the site in a few days, you might want to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page – there’s a lot of fresh content, folks! Now for some balls of shortness, brought to you by local lazy man, yours truly.

Fashion goes East: As Erwin proved with Venus’ headbands and Caroline’s Stella stuff, WTA fashion has hit the Eastern hemisphere with full force. Diva Asia, a Singapore-based news and gossip outlet, is all a-gabbin’ about the do’s and dont’s of the WTA tour. But to compare tennis fashion with golf?! Puhh-lease.

The Stars Come Out: For Andre and Steffi, so it appears. This weekend’s Tennis Classic, hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Graf brings together former pros Michael Chang, Corina Morariu, the Jensen brothers, Conchita Martinez and Brad Gilbert. The event, held in Mill Valley, California, is a benefit and happens this Friday through Sunday.

Stamp of Approval: Oops, he did it again. Roger Federer‘s triumph at the French Open this year, which assured him a title at each of the four grand slams, will now be commemorated by the Austrian postal service via a Federer stamp, out next February. All those women (and men) jealous of Mirka will be buying them in droves… they get to lick Rog’s backside!!!

A Trio’s Tootles: Fabrice Santoro said good-bye to tennis at the U.S. Open last month, while Andrei Pavel and Ai Sugiyama also wrapped up long careers this month with a bid of retirement. All three had long careers, so we doubt any of them will be pulling a HingDavenKimHenin anytime soon (aka, coming out of retirement). But if they do, wouldn’t they love a return like Kimko Date Krummhas had this fall?

Never Say Die: The Serena-Williams-freaked-out-at-a-line-judge story just won’t die, being fueled over the last week by the online release of a Tampax commercial Serena shot prior to the Open where she smacks tennis balls at a petite woman and calls her “5 foot nothing”. The New York Times, Post and Daily News all weigh in on the ad campaign, which Tampax decided to run following her tirade, calling the American’s handling of the situation a demonstration of her strength of character.